Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you Mr Speaker. My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. I refer to the coalition government's budget papers and the final budget outcome document. Is the infrastructure minister aware that the difference between what was promised in each of the budget papers and what was actually invested in Queensland's infrastructure is $1.0289 billion? How does the minister explain this over one billion dollar cut in real terms just in Queensland's infrastructure; and how many jobs for Queenslanders would have been created had this investment actually occurred and not just been promised?

Mr Buchholz interjecting—

Mr Pyne interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Wright will cease interjecting, as will the Leader of the House.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question, and note that, in equity and grant funding, the coalition has spent far more than the Labor Party ever spent in any year. He mentions Queensland, and I'm happy to go through some of the investments that are happening in Queensland. Obviously, there is the Bruce Highway, and the $6.7 billion which we're putting towards that, of a total funding of an $8.5 billion project. We're also noting the M1 Pacific Motorway, where we are putting $225 million towards a total funding of $402 million, and the Gateway Upgrade North, where we are putting in close to a billion dollars, $914.2 million, towards a $1.142 billion project. There is the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing; this is something that is vitally important to the member for Groom and was also fought for by the former member for Groom, Ian Macfarlane. What we're seeing there is about a $1.1 billion investment by the Commonwealth, with close to, I think, a $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion final cost. There is the Warrego Highway upgrade. We were out there the other day with the Prime Minister, seeing $508 million of Commonwealth money going to a $635 million project. The member for Grayndler also—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Prime Minister will just resume his seat for a second.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

The member for Moreton will cease interjecting. The member for Grayndler on a point of order?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On direct relevance: my question went very specifically to the billion-dollar cut in real terms that has occurred between what they promised and what they have delivered.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Grayndler; if he could resume his seat.

Mr Howarth interjecting—

The member for Petrie will cease interjecting. I've listened very closely, obviously, to the answer so far. The Deputy Prime Minister might not be answering the question in the way the member for Grayndler would prefer, but he is relevant.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I might just close by saying that, when the member for Grayndler was both the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, in his final budget infrastructure spending went down.